Telephone call screening system and method and caller registration system and method for use therewith

A computerized telephone call screening system comprising:

• means for establishing a preferred caller database comprising caller identifying information for preferred callers selected by a subscriber, wherein said caller identifying information for each caller includes at least a private identifier;
• means for answering a telephone call placed by a caller;
• means for interrogating said caller, wherein said computerized telephone call screening system requests from said caller at least a private identifier;
• means for storing said private identifier;
• means for searching said preferred caller database for said private identifier received from said caller;
• and
• means for disposing of said telephone call.

A computerized telephone call screening system comprising:

• a data communications interface for interfacing with a data network;
• a caller registration system access application for accessing a caller registry database over said data network and for selecting preferred callers from said caller registry database to establish a preferred caller database;
• a telephony interface for interfacing with at least one telephone line and for answering telephone calls placed by callers;
• and
• a call processing application for processing said telephone calls by requesting at least private identifiers and searching said preferred caller database for said private identifiers received from said callers, wherein said call processing application initiates at least one caller disposition process.

A call processing application stored on a storage medium and for use in a computerized telephone call screening system, said call processing application comprising:

• code for receiving at least a private identifier provided by a caller placing a telephone call, wherein said private identifier is unique to said caller;
• code for storing said private identifier;
• code for searching a preferred caller database for a matching private identifier;
• and
• code for disposing of said telephone call based on whether said matching private identifier is received and found in said preferred caller database.

A method of establishing a preferred caller database for use in a computerized telephone call screening system, said method comprising:

• connecting a caller to a computerized caller registration system;
• prompting said caller for caller identifying information including at least a private identifier selected by said caller and unique to said caller;
• receiving and verifying said caller identifying information;
• storing said caller identifying information in a caller registry database of registered callers;
• connecting a subscriber to said computerized caller registration system;
• verifying that said subscriber is allowed to access said caller registry database;
• providing said subscriber with access to said caller registry database;
• receiving preferred caller selections from said subscriber, wherein said subscriber selects preferred callers registered in said caller registry database;
• and
• transferring said caller identifying information of said preferred callers selected by said subscriber to a preferred caller database.

A computerized caller registration system comprising:

• means for connecting to a caller;
• means for prompting said caller for caller identifying information including at least a private identifier;
• means for receiving and verifying said caller identifying information;
• means for storing said caller identifying information in a caller registry database of registered callers;
• means for connecting to a subscriber;
• means for verifying that said subscriber is allowed to access said caller registry database;
• means for providing said subscriber with access to said caller registry database;
• means for receiving preferred caller selections from said subscriber, wherein said subscriber selects preferred callers registered in said caller registry database;
• and
• means for transferring said caller identifying information of said preferred callers to a preferred caller database including said private identifiers of said preferred callers.

A computerized caller registration system comprising:

• a telephony interface for interfacing with at least one telephone line;
• a caller registry database containing caller identifying information including at least private identifiers of registered callers;
• a caller registration application for prompting said caller for caller identifying information including at least private identifier selected by said caller, for receiving and verifying said caller identifying information, and for storing said caller identifying information in said caller registry database;
• a communications interface for interfacing with a data network;
• a database access application for providing said subscriber with access to said caller registry database, for receiving preferred caller selections from said subscriber, wherein said subscriber selects preferred callers from said registered callers in said caller registry database, and for transferring said caller identifying information of said preferred callers to a preferred caller database including said private identifiers of said preferred callers.